Vasospasm in Pediatric Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Cerebral vasospasm (CV) is a common severe complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a severe type of intracranial bleeding that is uncommon in children. The purpose of this article is to review the current literature regarding this potentially devastating complication. CV may be asymptomatic and is less common in children compared to adults. Several molecular phenomena, including inflammatory ones, contribute to its pathophysiology. Better collateral circulation and higher cerebral blood flow are protective factors in children. When clinically apparent, CV may manifest as a change in the child's neurologic status or vital signs. CV can be diagnosed using brain vessel imaging, such as computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, digital subtraction angiography, transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, and computed tomography perfusion. A reduction of < 50% in the artery's caliber confirms the diagnosis. Besides general supportive measures and causative treatment of SAH, CV management options include the administration of calcium channel blockers and neurointerventional approaches, such as intra-arterial vasodilators and balloon angioplasty. Long-term outcomes in children are usually favorable.

Lhermitte-Duclos disease with concomitant KCNT2 gene mutation: report of an extremely rare combination

Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LDD) refers to cerebellar dysplastic gangliocytoma, a slow-growing tumor. Pathogenic variants of voltage-gated potassium channels have been associated with epilepsy of variable severity. These include the sodium-activated potassium channel subfamily T member 2 (KCNT2) gene, which encodes for pore-forming alpha subunits. KCNT2 gene mutations have been recently described to cause developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). The purpose of the present article is to describe an extremely rare case of a young child who has both LDD and KCNT2 mutation. Our patient is an 11-year-old boy who presented with an absence episode, and his investigations revealed electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities, LDD, and a heterozygous KCNT2 mutation. Regarding LDD patients, epileptic seizures have been reported in very few cases. Reports of patients with mutated KCNT2 variants are also extremely rare. It is for sure that LDD and KCNT2 mutation is an extremely rare combination. Although further follow-up is mandatory in order to draw safe conclusions for our case, the available data support that our patient is either the first reported case of a subclinical KCNT2 mutation or the first case of its clinical expression in late childhood so far.

Vaginal calculi in a young woman

A case of a large vaginal stone in a 26-year-old woman is presented. Vaginal stones are relatively rare. Various causes can lead to vaginal stone formation. In our case, the calculi was due to vaginal outlet obstruction in childhood. The diagnosis is usually easy to be done. In our patient, X-ray films using frontal and lateral views of the urinary system permitted to establish the right diagnosis. Treatment can vary, depending on the cause of the stone formation and the consistency of the calculi. In this case, the treatment was surgical with simple evolution. It permitted a normal social and sexual life to this young patient.